Decision Letter Drafting — per decision

Overview

The reviews came back three weeks ago. One says accept with minor changes, one says the analysis is flawed, and the third is two lines long. Writing a decision letter that is fair to the author, faithful to the reviewers and clear about what must change takes an hour you do not have, so the manuscript sits. This service drafts the decision letter for the handling editor’s review and signature. It is for editors-in-chief and associate editors of small and mid-sized journals who handle decisions themselves and want to stop being the bottleneck.

What’s Included

• A drafted decision letter (accept, minor revision, major revision or reject) written in the journal’s voice
• A synthesis of all reviewer comments, with disagreements identified and reconciled where possible
• A prioritized list of required versus suggested changes for the author
• A short internal note to the editor summarizing the reviews and flagging anything that needs the editor’s judgment
• One round of edits to the draft after the editor’s feedback

How It Works

1. The editor forwards the manuscript, the reviews and a provisional decision (or asks for a recommendation).
2. Our editorial staff read the reviews and the manuscript and draft the letter, usually within two working days.
3. The editor reviews the draft, changes anything they wish, and sends it under their own name.
4. Pricing is per decision letter; volume arrangements are available for journals that expect a steady flow.

What Stays With Your Editors

The decision belongs to the editor. We draft; the editor decides, edits and signs. If our reading of the reviews suggests a different outcome than the editor’s provisional decision, we say so in the internal note, and the editor makes the call. NeucitePress does not correspond with authors on the editor’s behalf unless the journal has separately arranged managing editor support.

Important Limitations

• We synthesize reviews; we do not replace them. A decision letter is only as strong as the reviews behind it.
• We do not assess the scientific validity of the manuscript. Statistical and methodological review is a separate service.
• Drafts are confidential and handled by staff bound by confidentiality agreements, but the journal remains responsible for its own confidentiality policy.
• We cannot promise a specific turnaround during peak periods without a volume arrangement.

Common Questions

Will authors know the letter was drafted by someone else? No. The letter is written for the editor’s signature and sent from the editor’s account in the journal’s system.

Can you draft in languages other than English? Our standard service is English. Ask about other languages when requesting a proposal.

What if the reviews are inadequate? We tell the editor and, if the journal wishes, help identify what an additional review should address rather than draft a letter on weak grounds.

Request a proposal, or begin with the Journal Health Check.